


Scarred by Omens

by Author_Person



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Frottage, M/M, Underage Sex, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:15:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Author_Person/pseuds/Author_Person
Summary: An overheard conversation changes Harry’s future.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Comments: 14
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer  
> Don’t own the characters, not making money. 
> 
> Content Warning  
> Contains: Underage sex, and naughty language.

Harry’s wondering around the castle late at night under his invisibility cloak. He can’t sleep, too angry at having to dance at the stupid ball. How dare they expect this of him when he didn’t even sign up for this shit.

He’s just walking past a hidden alcove on the first floor when he hears whispering. The voice sounds familiar somehow, but he can’t quite place it. He inches closer, curious about who else is out after curfew.

“Draco, you could just ask him.”

“As if that would end well, he hates me, Pansy.” Malfoy sounds likes he’s whining.

“Potter’s an idiot, we both know it...”

“Pansy...” Malfoy growls warningly.

“No. Draco, you _will_ listen to me and you will _not_ interrupt. Potter _is_ an idiot or he’d be with you already. You’re smart, and funny, and handsome, and he is a _fool_ if he can’t see it.”

Harry can’t believe what he’s hearing.

“And I also routinely insult his friends and him, Pansy, how is that supposed to endear me to him?” Malfoy sounds exasperated.

“Yes, well, you are an idiot when you’re jealous, but nobody’s perfect. Potter should see past that. If you’d only explain your actions to him. Ask him to the fucking ball, Draco, or I’ll do it for you.”

“You wouldn’t.” Malfoy whispers so quietly Harry almost missed it, sounding horrified.

“I _would_ , you ask him, Draco Lucius Malfoy or I _will_ , you have until this Sunday. And I’ll do it in the middle of the Great Hall.”

“Pansy..” Malfoy growls.

“You’ll thank me for this one day, Draco.”

Harry tiptoes away, holding his breath hoping not to be heard. He doesn’t understand, how did he not see this before? Malfoy, Draco likes him? He feels like he must be going crazy to even be considering this. He wonders how they’d like it if he showed up with a boy as his dance partner. He straightens his spine. Yeah. He’s going to do this.

~~~~~~

The next day as he’s headed to the Great Hall for lunch he sees Draco watching him with his friends. He knows the boy won’t want to approach him unless he’s alone so he tells them he forgot a book in his dorm and he’ll meet them in the hall. He turns to head for Gryffindor tower, he smiles when he sees the blonde subtly trailing him.

He turns into a hidden alcove close to the tower and waits for the blonde to near. Just as he passes by, moving slowly, no doubt confused at his disappearance, he snatches his arm and tugs him into the alcove.

“Why’re you following me, Malfoy?” He makes sure to sound as aggressive as he normally would.

“I wasn’t following you, Potter. Let go of me.” If he hadn’t heard the conversation he had last night with his own ears he might have bought Draco’s act. He narrows his eyes at him and does not let go. He waits for the boy to work up his courage.

“What’re you playing at, Potter?” Draco sounds angry, confused, and also a little afraid. Probably thinks Pansy told him something already. He throws caution to the wind.

“I would like to ask you to be my date for the ball, Draco.”

Draco’s eyes go wide, he looks horrified.

“I don’t know _what_ Pansy told you, Potter...”

“She didn’t tell me anything.”

Draco just blinks at him for a moment. He’s just opening his mouth to speak again when Harry realizes only bullshit is going to come out of it. He cuts him off.

“Draco, please, come to the ball with me.”

Draco looks upset now and Harry doesn’t understand. Isn’t this what he wanted?

“You don’t even _like_ me, Potter, I don’t know what you’re playing at but leave me out of it.” Draco jerks his arm out of his grasp and turns to flee.

He grabs him again and stops him.

“I’m _sorry_.” He puts as much sincerity in his voice as he can.

Draco turns to look at him. He still looks hurt but now he’s also confused.

“I’m sorry Draco, I overheard your conversation last night. This isn’t some kind of prank or anything. I just, I never knew you liked me. I had no idea. Now I know, I want, I want a chance to get to know the _real_ you.”

He smiles at him lopsidedly.

“The Draco who doesn’t insult my friends, who talks about something other than who’s the better seeker. I want to try, Draco. I can’t guarantee this will last but, I want to try.”

He shocks himself as he says it. He’d told himself this was only about pissing off the stupid tournament people, but, yeah, he does maybe want this. He wants to see where this goes.

Draco just stares for the longest time as his smile melts away. He stares back slowly frowning at Draco in confusion. Did he miss something?

“You’re seriously asking me to the ball?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Pott-Harry. I will go to the ball with you.”

Harry blinks back at him and then smiles ruefully.

“How am I going to explain this to Ron and Hermione?” He asks vaguely horrified. He hadn’t even thought of that till now.

Draco smirks back at him.

“Good luck with that, Harry.”

“Prat.” He makes sure to sound playful as he says it and is rewarded with a genuine smile. An idea pops into his head at that but he shakes it off. He is not going to kiss Draco. It is far too soon for that. He just looks so handsome when he smiles.

He lets go of Draco’s arm but makes sure to drag his fingers along it as he does so. Draco’s eyes widen minutely.

“Now, go tell Pansy she doesn’t have to make a scene in the Great Hall, Draco. While I try and figure out what to say to _my_ friends. And you should thank her for that little intervention she held last night too, yeah?”

Draco tilts his head slightly and gives him a look he can’t interpret. “I probably should.”

~~~~~~

He tells Ron and Hermione that he has something to tell them in private. They all wait up until everyone else has gone to bed. It’s the weekend tomorrow so it takes longer than usual, but finally they’re the only ones in the common room.

“So what’d you have to tell us, mate?”

They’re both looking at him attentively and this was a bad idea. They’ll think he’s gone mad. They’ll hate him for even considering it. Shit. What was he thinking?

“I ah, I have a date for the Yule ball.”

“Oh, that’s great Harry, but why did you needs to tell us in private?” Hermione sounds as confused as she looks.

“Yeah, mate, I don’t get it.”

“You might not like who it is and I didn’t want to make a scene.”

“Well who is she Harry?” Hermione sounds like she’s trying to prepare herself for the worst. So she can stay calm and not upset him or something. Why did he do this again?

“He.”

They both blink at him for a moment and then Ron smiles.

“We don’t care if you take a boy, Harry. So long as you’re happy.” He means it too, he can tell. He releases a relieved breath but then remembers that the worst is yet to come.

“Oh, Harry, we would never judge you for being gay or bi or anything else. You’re our friend.” Hermione sounds upset that he thought they would hold this against him.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t know I was attracted to boys until yesterday so I think I can be forgiven for not confiding in you till now.”

They laugh at that and the tension has melted away for them but Harry feels like he’s got electricity pouring through his veins. What if they hate him for this?

“It’s Malfoy.”

They just sit staring at him for a long moment and Harry turns away. He can’t stand to see the hatred he _knows_ will form in their eyes.

“Why him?” Ron just sounds confused.

Harry breathes shakily. He’s not mad yet. Maybe that’s a good sign?

“I overheard a conversation between him and Pansy Parkinson. She was berating him for not just asking me to the ball and he was defending himself saying that it would be pointless ‘cause I hate him. And that of course I do when he constantly insults me and my friends. She said something. Something about him only doing that out of jealousy and I just.” He trails off and just breathes for a moment.

“I realized I don’t know him, at all. He’s been a prat ever since I met him, but apparently that’s only because he likes me.”He says that last bit with so much disbelief. “I just I want to get to know the real Draco. I think, I think I might like him if I did. And I know you’ll probably _always_ hate him but, I just. I want to try.”

He looks at them willing them to understand that he needs this.

“But Harry, mate, you could have _anyone_.” Ron sounds astonished that he doesn’t understand this.

“No.” He says vehemently.

“Mate?” Ron sounds bewildered.

“No. I couldn’t. I could have any number of people who wanted The Boy Who Lived, but Draco wants me, he doesn’t give a single shit about my fame, he likes me.” He breathes the last again disbelievingly. He’s sure he’ll never understand that. There must be something seriously wrong with Draco for him to want _him_ , but he’ll take it. He’ll take it.

“Oh, Harry, I know how much you hate your fame, but it’s true that you could find someone else who would want you for you. It doesn’t _have_ to be Malfoy.” Hermione doesn’t understand.

“But if you want Malfoy then we will support you, won’t we Ron?” She gives Ron a warning look and he nods frantically.

“Yeah, mate, if you think he’s not a complete arsehole, then I’m sure he’s not a _complete_ arsehole. We trust your judgement. But if he breaks your heart I’m going to make the little ferret regret it. Just so you know.”

And Harry laughs. He’s so relieved. They don’t hate him. They don’t.

~~~~~~

The next day he’s cornered by Pansy Parkinson because apparently he needs to coordinate his dress robes with Draco’s.

“But, I already _have_ dress robes. And they’re fine. I’m sure. I mean I didn’t look at them but they’re brand new and plain black. They’ll be _fine_. They’ll go with whatever Draco wears.”

“Boys. I swear. Useless, the lot of you. You will bring me the robes and I will inspect them. If they are _not_ acceptable I _will_ be procuring you better robes. You will _not_ make Draco look bad. Understood.”

She glares at him with such ferociousness that Harry is actually a little scared.

“Yes ma’am.”

She takes one look at his brand new robes and laughs. Apparently he’ll be getting new new robes. Sheesh.

~~~~~~

Three days later he’s pulled aside by Pansy and dragged into an empty classroom. She pulls a shrunken box out of her bag, enlarges it, and lifts the lid. He gasps.

“How much did this cost? And why would you spend so much money on something that’ll only be worn once?”

“Well I’m glad to see you can at least appreciate the quality even if you fail to see the point of it. It doesn’t matter how much it cost. It’s my gift to Draco. His heart is going to stop when he sees you in it. That’s the point of it. One day when the two of you are old and gray, poor things, you’ll tell your grandchildren about these robes and how the moment you saw each other in them you knew that he was the one.”

She sounds so confident that it will happen that he wonders if she’s a seer or something.

“So you’re a romantic?”

“Ugh, no, I’m just not blind. You two have been dancing around each other since the moment you met in Madam Malkin’s. You met while trying on robes. You’ll fall in love properly while wearing these robes. It’s inevitable.”

He stares at her. He can’t believe she knows about that. Draco still remembers their first meeting? Did he like him even then?

“If you say so.”

She just smirks at him.

~~~~~~

That night he takes the old new dress robes and spreads them across his bed next to the new new dress robes. The difference is astounding. Ron wanders over next to him and whistles appreciatively.

“Damn, those must have cost a fortune. I don’t even want to touch them for fear of damaging them.”

“Yeah, I know.”

They just stare a bit longer. Then Harry turns to Ron and smiles.

“Well at least you now have a better set of dress robes.“ He presses the old set into Ron’s arms. Ron blinks at him and then smiles.

“You’re tiny compared to me, mate. No offense but how am I supposed to wear these?”

“Magic.” Ron blushes and Harry laughs. They go to find Lavender who’s the best with clothing related charms.

Lavender resizes them perfectly and Ron tries them on to make sure they fit. She takes one look at him in them and asks if he’ll go to the ball with her. Harry laughs at the stunnedlook on Ron’s face. Ron shakes his head to clear it and agrees.

~~~~~~

It’s only a few days before the ball when, as Harry’s leaving transfiguration, McGonagall pulls him aside.

“I trust you have found yourself a date, Mr. Potter?” She looks at him suspiciously and Harry wonders what she’d do if he hadn’t, assign him a date? That would be awkward.

“I have a date, Professor. You don’t have to worry.” He smiles at her. He can’t wait to see her face when she sees his date.

“Good. I hope you will enjoy the ball, Mr. Potter.”

“I think I will, Professor.”


	2. Chapter 2

The day of the ball Harry finds himself shocked when the girls all disappear to get ready with hours to spare. Does it really take them that long? Maybe they’re just excited? At any rate he doesn’t worry about getting ready until about an hour before.

He wanders upstairs and showers quickly. Dries himself with a spell and gets dressed in the ridiculously expensive robes. He stands in front of the mirror unable to stop staring at his reflection. He can’t understand how different he looks. It shouldn’t be possible. He goes to put the box away and realizes it’s not empty. He blinks at the glasses sitting half-hidden beneath the fabric that had protected the robes.He picks them up, they’re made of thinner glass than his own, rectangular with thin silver frames. He walks back into the bathroom and switches out his old glasses for the new. They’re perfect. He can see his eyes better through the thinner glass, his face looks less childish with the more streamlined frames, and he even thinks that he can see better in general. His old prescription must’ve been off. He thinks he might love Pansy. She’s amazing.

~~~~~~

Harry walks downstairs with Hermione, Ron, and Lavender. He stops and waits with them for Draco to arrive. He sees a head of blonde hair coming closer, turns in that direction, and forgets to breathe.

“Harry, you look handsome.” Draco is staring at him with wonder in his eyes.

“You look ridiculously good, Draco. I mean you always look good, but, damn.” He’s probably blushing. He reaches out tentatively and Draco grabs his hand and threads his fingers through his own.

They walk toward the doors to the hall together. Hand in hand.

McGonagall is waiting just outside the doors. She sees him holding hands with Draco and raises an eyebrow.

“Well, Mr. Potter. I am glad to see you did indeed find a date. You look very handsome together.” Harry beams at her. Trying not to look sheepish.

He no longer cares what anyone thinks, or if it bothers them that he’s here with a boy.He’s just glad to have Draco beside him.

They enter the hall and sit down to eat dinner. He and Draco struggle to find things to talk about, it’s awkward, but also brilliant in a way. He thinks this is going to work.

~~~~~~

They get up to open the dance. Shit. He hopes he doesn’t embarrass Draco. He leans close and whispers in his ear.

“I uh, I suck at dancing, I should probably have mentioned sooner, sorry.” He grins up at Draco apologetically.

“That’s fine, Harry, I’ll lead. I’ve been taking lessons for years.” Draco doesn’t seem annoyed and Harry’s relieved. Sheesh this is more stressful than he thought it would be.

Draco takes the lead and they begin dancing. He manages with Draco’s help to not look like an idiot. The first dance ends and the next starts. Draco gives him an inquisitive look but he shakes his head and they keep dancing. He’s not sure he’s enjoying it but he doesn’t hate it. And he’s finding himself liking the feel of Draco in his arms. The thought of kissing Draco flits through his head again and this time he can’t shake it. He wants to.

That song ends and a slow song starts, he finds himself being held closely by Draco. He looks up into his eyes and decides he’s had enough.

“I want to kiss you.”

Draco’s eyes widen.

“Can I?”

Draco gulps and nods jerkily. He leans up and kisses him gently. He pulls away slowly.

“Was that okay?”

Draco gives him a disbelieving look.

“Harry, it was perfect. You’re perfect.” He growls the last bit and leans forward and kisses Harry hungrily.

Harry pulls away after a long moment and realizes everyone is watching them. He glares at their audience. And pulls Draco to a corner of the hall.

“You’re not an exhibitionist, Harry?”

“Shut it you.” And he kisses him again.

~~~~~~

Five minutes later they’re still kissing when they hear a throat being cleared nearby. They pull apart and Harry turns annoyed at the interruption. He pales. Shit.

“Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, if you could cease this display that would be lovely.” Snape sneers at them and Harry thinks he might just have a heart attack. But why isn’t the man assigning detention or at least taking points?

“Sorry, Uncle Sev, we got a little carried away.” Draco is almost smiling, he looks like he’s daring Snape to say something cutting. Uncle Sev? What the hell?

“Draco, you know I am only trying to protect you.” Snape closes his eyes looking tired. “I want you to be happy, but if your father were to hear about this...I cannot predict the outcome Draco. You need to be more careful.” Snape is staring at Draco, eyes burning into him.

“And you Mr. Potter, if you hurt my godson, they will never find your body.” Snape is looking at him like he’s a insect. Godson? How does he never know these things?

“I don’t want to hurt him, sir.”

“I am glad to hear that, Mr. Potter, but that doesn’t meant you won’t hurt him without meaning to.”

“Because his father won’t approve?”

“My father _will_ accept my decision, I know why you are concerned Uncle Sev, but he will accept it, I’ve already written to mother and she is working on him. She accepts it.”

Snape looks relieved at that. He nods stiffly.

“Nevertheless, you will cease making a spectacle of yourselves. Unless you would like a detention?” He purrs the last.

They shake their heads at him and he leaves. Robes swirling around him.

“Your godfather’s a bit terrifying.”

Draco snorts. “He’s more bark than bite I assure you. That’s just how he shows his concern.”

Harry looks at him disbelievingly. Draco just laughs.

“Come on, Harry, let’s go sit and talk with your friends.”

~~~~~~

It only takes a few days before Lucius Malfoy hears the news. He comes striding into the castle at breakfast.

Harry sees him striding toward Draco looking furious and he jumps up from the Gryffindor table. He’s happy to see Ron and Hermione joining him as he walks quickly toward the Slytherin table. He notices Snape stalking down from the head table as well.

Draco rises as his father nears him and they all follow Lucius Malfoy to the antechamber. They gather behind Draco ready to support him as needed. Harry touching his hand surreptitiously. Draco turns his hand and captures Harry’s own.

“Draco. Is there something you wish to tell me?” Lucius purrs the words in a deadly tone of voice. Warning Draco not to lie.

“Father, I am dating Harry Potter.” Harry blinks at the bored tone Draco used. As if he doesn’t fear his father’s anger at all.

“For how long?” Lucius’ voice and face are strangely blank.

“It has been a few weeks.” Draco seems a bit hesitant now. 

“And you failed to tell me...?”

“I, was, wary, of your reaction.”

“I see. It would seem I have failed as a father if you felt you had to hide from me.” Lucius closes his eyes looking pained. Harry doesn’t understand.

“I am sorry, Dragon, I would never reject you for your choice. You are my son.”

Harry blinks. He was not expecting that. Draco smiles at his father.

“I had faith you would accept it in the end, but, I worried you might take some convincing. I merely wanted to be sure this was something Harry truly wanted. I did not wish to upset you unless I felt confident about our future together.”

“And you feel such confidence now?”

“Yes.”

Harry finds himself being studied by the man.

“We’re only just starting to get to know one another, sir. I do not love your son, _yet_ , I have a feeling I will soon enough though.” He turns and smiles at Draco who smiles widely back.

“Then I give you my full blessing son, but in future, I expect you will not hide from me. Even if I were to disapprove it is unbecoming of a Malfoy.”

“Sorry, father, it will not happen again.”

Harry thinks he will never understand families. He wonders how his own parents would’ve reacted to his dating Draco.

~~~~~~

After Lucius leaves everyone else wanders off except for Harry and Draco.

“What’s wrong?” Draco seems confused.

“I was just thinking about how my own parents would’ve reacted. Would they have hated me for dating a boy, a Slytherin, a Malfoy? I don’t know. I’ll never know. I don’t know what to do with that.”

“Don’t, don’t worry about what they would’ve wanted. If they couldn’t accept you for who you are then they would be shitty parents. If they couldn’t accept who you love then they would also be shitty parents.” Draco looks angry at the very idea.

“But you were worried your father wouldn’t accept you dating me. How is that different?”

“No, I wasn’t. I was worried he’d take his time accepting it, but I always knew he would in the end. He loves me and if your parents loved you then they would accept you and your choices as well.”

“And if you hadn’t been a Slytherin? Would your father accept you then?”

”Of course he would! And what does that have to do with anything?”

“The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. I’ve always wondered. What if my parents would’ve hated me?”

“Harry James Potter your parents loved you. You know this. They would love you no matter what colour your fucking tie was.”

Harry wants to believe that. But, he remembers the cupboard. He remembers being told he was a freak. He remembers not knowing his own name, not even questioning his own lack of name, because freaks don’t need names. He remembers _believing_ he was a freak. He thinks sometimes he still does. How could his parents love him? How could anyone?

He looks at the floor. He can’t let Draco see the tears in his eyes. He can’t let him know what a freak he is. He doesn’t want to lose him.

Draco touches his chin and tries to tilt his face up but he pulls away.

“I’m sorry, Draco, I just, I need to be alone.”

He runs.

~~~~~~

He’s sitting in a window seat on the sixth floor. He ran out of tears hours ago. He’s just sitting and staring out the window.

He needs to break this off. Draco deserves better. He can’t let him stay with a freak like him. It isn’t fair to him. He can’t believe he let himself do this in the first place. He’s so selfish. How did he never notice that about himself before?

He pulls the map from his bag, glad he had it on him or he’s sure he’d have had a visit from Ron and Hermione by now. He activates it and begins looking for Draco. He’s in the Slytherin common room, he’ll have to wait till tomorrow then. He just folding up the map to put it away when he catches a glimpse of the hallway outside the classroom that he’s in. Snape. Fuck.

He doesn’t have his cloak. Why did he leave his cloak in his trunk? The man’s walking closer. He shoves the map away and sits still hoping the man will pass by.

The door opens.

“Mr. Potter, you have been missing the entire day, my godson, as well as others, have been worried about you. You will be receiving detention for you absence from your classes, unless you have a good reason?”

He simply shakes his head. Snape gives him a piercing look. He stalks closer.

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.” Why is Snape even pretending to care?

“Do not lie to me, Potter, you are obviously not _fine_. What is wrong?”

Snape looks pissed but he can’t possibly tell the man the truth. His heart hurts at the thought of what he’s done. Draco is going to be hurt when he ends things. What was he thinking? Perhaps he could...

“You said, you said no one would find my body if I hurt Draco...” He looks up at the man willing him to understand. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you saying, Potter?” Now the man sounds furious.

“Could you tell him? Tell him I’m sorry, but I can’t, I just, can’t.” He’s such a coward. He can’t even bring himself to tell him himself.

“No, no Potter, if you want him to receive such a message you will have to tell him yourself. Unless...”

He looks up at Snape hopefully.

“Unless you wish to explain why, what about Lucius’ visit has brought this on? You seemed determined to stay with Draco this morning.”

He can’t, can he? Shit. Maybe, maybe it’s for the best. If Snape knew the truth he wouldn’t _let_ his godson go near him.

“He deserves better, he, he doesn’t know me, not really, and if he did. He wouldn’t want anything to do with me. Mr. Malfoy wouldn’t want him to be with me. You wouldn’t want him to either. He deserves better. Tell him that. Make him see. Please.”

Snape is standing utterly still.

“And what about you is so awful, Mr. Potter?”

“I’m a freak, okay. I’m a freak.” He whispers the horrible truth. Unable to look at Snape while he does so. He stares out the window.

“A freak. I am afraid I do not understand, Potter.”

He sighs. He should’ve known he’d have to spell it out for him.

“I didn’t grow up having a name, ‘cause freaks don’t need names. I was kept in the cupboard under the stairs, ‘cause freaks don’t deserve to have rooms like normal people. I had to do all the chores around the house to earn my meals. My relatives hate me because of it. I’m a freak, sir. I shouldn’t even be around Draco, much less...”

He’s crying again now. He wipes the tears away angrily. Freaks aren’t supposed to cry. He’s usually much better at following that rule.

“I was selfish, sir. I wanted, I wanted to pretend for a while that I was normal. Everyone here thinks I am. Sometimes I even believe it myself for a while. But then I remember. I shouldn’t have hurt him like this I know. I just...”

“Shh, Harry, shh.”

He finds arms wrapped around him and jerks away.

“No. You can’t sir. You don’t need to pretend to care. I’m fine.”

“You are _not_ fine, Harry, and you are not a freak.”

“I am, sir.”

Snape reaches out for him slowly. As if he’s a skittish animal. He wraps his arms around him and pulls him close.

“You are _not_ a freak, Harry, and I do care. If I had known what those bastards were doing I would’ve raised you myself. I will raise you myself. I am going to contact Lucius and see about getting custody of you this very night. You will _never_ see them again.”

Harry doesn’t understand. But he registers that Snape is going to tell Lucius and that’s good. Lucius will make sure Draco stays away from him. That’s good.


	3. Chapter 3

Snape gave him a calming draught earlier and it made things all fuzzy for a while. Now he finds himself sitting on a couch in what must be Snape’s quarters. He’s wrapped in a blanket and alone.

Snape walks in the room and hands him a mug of something. Then sits down on the chair to his right.

“It’s hot chocolate.”

He blinks. “Oh, I’ve never had it.” He looks down at the mug. Tries a sip. “It’s good. Thank you.”

He doesn’t understand why Snape looks sad.

“Did you talk to Mr. Malfoy?”

“Yes.”

Harry nods. “That’s good. He’ll make Draco understand.”

“Understand what, exactly?”

“That I’m a freak, he won’t let Draco near me, I’m glad, I like Draco, I want him to be happy.”

Snape looks pained. Harry is confused. Adults are weird though. He takes another sip.

“Harry, you must understand on some level that your relatives were wrong to treat you the way they did.”

Harry shrugs. He doesn’t want to argue with the man. Snape pinches the bridge of his nose. Then he lowers his hand with a thoughtful frown on his face.

“Do you consider _me_ a freak, Harry?”

Harry knows this is a trick question but he can’t see how.

“No, of course not.”

“And yet my own father did. He was abusive toward myself and my mother. We were freaks in his eyes because we had magic while he did not. Just because someone considers you a freak it does not mean you are one. Or if you are a freak because of your magic then so are we all.”

Harry stares at him blinking dumbly. He doesn’t know how to counter that argument. Somehow he doesn’t think ‘I just am’ is going to cut it.

“I am not asking you to immediately cease thinking of yourself as a freak, Harry. I am merely asking you to try. Will you?”

Harry doesn’t see what good it will do but... “I’ll try, sir.”

“Good.”

~~~~~~

That evening after an awkward hour of silent company Harry stands up to go to the tower but Snape stops him.

“You’ll be staying here for now, Harry. The rest of the castle thinks you are currently sick in the hospital wing. Including the headmaster.”

“What? How? Why?”

“Polyjuice potion, with the help of one of my NEWT students. Poppy knows, of course, but everyone else is unaware of the ruse. As for why...the Headmaster led me to believe you were being cared for. He lied to me. I will be getting custody of you and he will not be allowed to prevent it.”

“You, I, you want custody of me? Why?”

“I was best friends with your mother, Harry, for most of my childhood. If I hadn’t thought you better off where you were I would have had you in my care already.”

Harry is lost. Nothing makes sense anymore. Maybe he really is in the hospital wing, he hit his head and is now hallucinating. It’s the likeliest explanation. He decides to deal with all of this later.

“So for tonight..?”

“You will sleep in my guest room. Which you may in fact consider your own. I’ve already spoken to Lucius and he should be able to pull enough strings to have my custody of you finalized by tomorrow, if not it should only take an extra day. You will be staying here for as long as it takes.”

“What if you can’t get custody?”

“Then there are ways of hiding you that even Albus Dumbledore cannot get around. I swore a Vow to keep you safe, Harry, I’ll either succeed in doing so or I will die.”

“Wait, you mean like the vow itself would kill you for failing?”

“Mm, precisely.”

“What kind of vow is that?”

“An Unbreakable Vow, Harry. A dangerous piece of magic, it is not to be entered into lightly.”

“Then why?”

“Because your mother had just died, she was my sister in all but blood. I failed her, I was, I am, determined not to fail you.”

Harry shakes his head, he’s too overwhelmed to process this now.

“So that room?”

He goes to bed and sleeps. Dreaming strange dreams wherein a young man weeps over the body of a woman with bright red hair. In the morning he remembers only flashes of his dreams and the vague sense that they were unbearably sad.

~~~~~~

After he eats breakfast, alone, Snape has to keep up appearances by attending breakfast in the Great Hall, Lucius visits. Bringing the paperwork that Snape will have to sign.

Harry can’t bring himself to look at the man. He sits and stares at the wall while Lucius walks across the room lays the paperwork down and then crosses the room back to the floo. Right as Lucius is about to leave again he reaches his breaking point.

“I’m sorry.”

He sees the man still in his peripheral vision.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Mr. Potter.”

“But I...”

“No. You have _nothing_ to apologize for. The monsters that did this to you are the ones who should be groveling for forgiveness. You wonder why we want the muggles to have no contact with the magical world? _This_ is why! They are despicable creatures who shouldn’t even be allowed to breathe the same air. To do what they did to a _child_. Do _not_ apologize for the wrongs that were done to you, Mr. Potter. I know you do not currently consider them to be wrongs but that does not change the fact that they _were_ wrong. Severus has told me that you do not consider yourself worthy of my son, I want you to know that I do, and so does Draco. You will not be allowed to break off your relationship with him. Not for this reason at least. If you attempt to drive him away by being cruel I will make you regret doing so. If you truly care for my son’s happiness you _will_ continue to date him.”

Harry looks up at him at that. Astonished that he would insist he remain with his son.

“But...”

“Harry, please, just give it time. In time you may be able to see what Severus, Draco, and myself all see. You are an extraordinary young man. You are worthy of so very much.”

Lucius gives him a long look, while Harry just sits speechless, and then he leaves through the floo.

~~~~~~

Later Harry watches disbelieving as Snape scrawls his signature across the parchment that will give him custody of him. The man has a look of vicious satisfaction on his face as he does so.

“You are _mine_ now, Harry.”

He gives him a considering look.

“But I don’t think you are ready to return to your classes. You will stay here until tonight. I will bring Draco by after his last class and you will speak. You shall return to classes tomorrow.”

Harry doesn’t know how he can face Draco, but he supposes he has to eventually. “Alright.”

“In the meantime here are the assignments you missed yesterday, Ms. Granger brought them by the hospital wing for you.”

“How is that working? She didn’t realize something was wrong?”

“Of course not, you happened to be napping when she came by, Poppy allowed her to see you for a few minutes but she didn’t allow her to wake you.”

“And I’ll just happen to be napping again tonight?”

“Mm, perhaps you’ll be feeling well enough to be in the shower when she drops by. If not I’m sure he’ll think of something suitable.”

Harry just stares at the man for a moment.

“Do you always keep a batch of polyjuice on hand? I mean it takes a month to brew.”

Snape taps his finger on the parchment he’d just recently signed.

“Until I signed this I was going to be returning to spying on the Dark Lord when he returned. Having custody of you rather prevents that. As a spy, yes, I have always kept a supply of any number of useful potions and other items on hand. One never knows when they will be needed.”

“You gave up spying, why?”

“I didn’t have a choice, Harry. I became a spy to protect your mother, I remained a spy to protect you, but now that I know how much danger you are in from your relatives. The Vow requires that I protect you as best I can. I consider your relatives to be the more immediate threat. Therefore this is the path I must follow.”

Harry just nods. He decides he should get started on his schoolwork.

~~~~~~

He’s just finishing an essay for defense when the door opens. He looks up to see Draco coming rather hesitantly into the room.

“Hey.”

Draco just nods back. He looks blank, Harry can’t tell what he’s feeling.

“I’m sorry, Draco, I should never have..”

“Left.”

“What?”

“You’re going to say something like you should never have agreed to date me, but that’s not right. What you should never have done is left. You ran away. You didn’t talk to me. Harry, I care about you, if you’re hurting I want to know. Even if there’s nothing I can do to help you I can still be _there_ for you. Just, next time don’t leave, alright?”

“Did your father talk to you?”

“Mmhm.”

“So you know...”

“Yes.” Harry finds himself being wrapped up in Draco’s arms. He wants to push him away because Draco deserves better. He wants to pull him close because he’s selfish. He does neither. He sits still and unmoving while Draco holds him.

“Harry...I don’t care. I don’t care if you are a freak. I love you, Harry. That’s the only thing that matters to me.”

Harry jerks as if he’s been stung. He feels so fucking guilty.

“I’m sorry. If I hadn’t...you would never...”

“Harry, damn it, I love you, I have for a long time now. Why did you think Pansy was being so damn pushy about trying to force me to ask you to the ball? You didn’t make me fall in love with you. I just do. I love you.”

He doesn’t know what to do with that. He thinks of Lucius telling him that if he cares about Draco he’ll stay with him.

“Okay, I still don’t feel like this is a good idea, but, okay.”

And he wraps his arms around Draco and holds him back.

~~~~~~

The next day he returns to classes. Everyone staring and whispering as if he’s the only one who’s ever missed two days of classes because they were sick. He glares at the ones who dare to ask him questions. It doesn’t really deter them but it makes him feel better.

Draco joins him at the Gryffindor table for every meal, he hears whispers about how cute they are together. He doesn’t understand that. I mean Draco is cute sure, but the both of them together? He can’t see it.

That evening Ron and Hermione drag him to an abandoned classroom.

“Who was that in the hospital wing? And where were you?” Hermione demands as soon as the door is closed behind them.

“What? How did you know?”

“Seriously Harry, he was sleeping on his back, mate, you _never_ sleep on your back.”

He supposes Ron has a point. Still he has no plan for this. Shit.

“Uh, I was with Snape, he kind of, adopted me. He wouldn’t let me leave until the paperwork was through. He didn’t want Dumbledore preventing it. He had one of his students polyjuice as me.”

“He what?! Why?” Ron looks like he might faint. Hermione just looks thoughtful.

“He found out that my relatives don’t, treat me kindly and he...apparently he was best friends with my mum so he refused to leave me in their custody. He was adamant about it in fact.”

“So Professor Snape is your, guardian, now. What’s that like so far?”

Harry shrugs. “He’s been nice. He gave me the guest room to sleep in and told me it’s mine now. It’s the nicest room I’ve ever slept it. He gave me hot chocolate, I’d never had it before, it was good.”

Hermione looks horrified and he doesn’t understand. “What’s that look for?”

“It’s just something that everyone gets as a child isn’t it? Hot chocolate. Your relatives never..?”

Harry laughs at that idea. As if he would ever have been given...no. He shakes his head at her, giving her a look, like she should know better than to ask. He did just say that they didn’t treat him kindly.

“Oh, Harry.” He finds himself with an armful of Hermione. He gives Ron a bewildered look over her shoulder only to find him looking unaccountably sad as well. What is with everyone lately?

“Mate, I haven’t forgotten the bars on your windows, or the cat flap in your door. I tried to tell my parents but they were convinced you wouldn’t still be there if something were really wrong. That Dumbledore wouldn’t leave you there if you were being abused.”

“They didn’t _abuse_ me!”

Ron looks astonished and Hermione pulls away to see his face and cuts in.

“Harry, would you consider it abuse if it happened to Ron or I?”

“It would never...”

“But if it _did_ , would it be abuse”

He grits his teeth because it’s a false equivalence and she knows it. “Yes.”

“Then it _was_ abuse, Harry.”

“No it wasn’t. It’s not the same, Hermione.”

“Say my parents did the same..”

“Your parents would _never_...”

“No, they wouldn’t, because they love me. And your parents loved you too, if they were alive...”

“But they aren’t.”

“But if they _were_ , they wouldn’t treat you that way, would they?”

He’s not sure where she’s going with this. “No.”

“Then it isn’t _you_ , if your parents wouldn’t treat you this way then _you_ aren’t the problem, the Dursleys _are_. You see, Harry? It isn’t you. You don’t deserve this. They’re horrible people and I’m tempted, oh how I am tempted, to track them down and _kill_ them for what they’ve done to you. They’re the problem. Not you. Never you.”

He stares at her. He wants to believe her. He wants to. He just not sure he can.

“I, I don’t know, Hermione.”

“Shh. Just, just think about it, alright?”

He nods shakily. He can do that. He’s honestly not sure he can stop thinking about it. He can’t see his parents treating him the way the Dursleys did. And if they wouldn’t...maybe Hermione is right.


	4. Chapter 4

Time passes and the second task comes quickly. He’s so glad Snape is his guardian. He’d probably have died without the man slipping him the gillyweed currently weighing down his pocket. He never appreciated the man’s cunning mind when it was aimed at him, but now that it’s helping to keep him alive...he’s finding himself very grateful indeed.

He heads down to the lake shaking with anger. He can’t believe they’re using people as the hostages. If something goes wrong...he swears to himself if Draco dies he will track down every last arsehole connected to this task and drown them in return. Snape assured him that he did everything he could to try and sway the idiots from their plan. He wishes Snape were the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He would never have allowed this bullshite to occur. He grips the jar in his pocket and tries to calm himself. He needs a clear head. He can’t let anything happen to Draco.

He walks up to the other champions and stops beside them. He glances at the stands where the judges are sitting. Gives them a glare letting them all know how much he’d like to see them suffer for this little act of reckless endangerment. He smirks when he sees Snape having to hold Lucius’ wand arm down so that he can’t curse Dumbledore.

The task begins and he makes his way as quickly as he can to the center of the lake. Thanking Snape mentally for reminding him to use the point me charm to make his way straight to Draco.

He finds him. He looks dead. He knows he’s not but he looks. He’s going to have fucking nightmares about this. God when he gets back to the tower he’s paying the twins to prank Dumbledore. He’s going to make sure the man suffers in any way he can legally get away with. He will make sure Dumbledore regrets this. He gets Draco to the surface, Draco wakes. Fuck. He feels like he can breathe again for the first time in days. He’s alright. He’s safe.

He drags him to the shore, stumbles onto the pebbles, and without even standing up first, hauls Draco into a breathtaking kiss. He needs him to know how important he is to him. Draco kisses him back just as fiercely. They don’t stop till they’re forced to by Madam Pomfrey, who’s determined to check them over. Harry gets the feeling she doesn’t approve of this task either. Honestly, he hadn’t thought it could get worse than _dragons_.

~~~~~~

Things go back to his new normal. Which consists of spending time every other night, at least, in Snape’s quarters. Usually with Draco, sometimes with Ron and Hermione as well. He finds he really likes Snape.

He still doesn’t like the way the man treats Neville but now he understands that most of his viciousness is to prevent them killing themselves with their own stupidity. He tries to get him to lighten up on Neville, but the man is stubborn.

He’s sitting with Snape and Draco one evening talking quietly about various spells he might need in the next task. Even Snape doesn’t know much about this one, much to his ire. When there’s a knock on the door. Snape gives them a look and they retreat to Harry’s bedroom.

They hear the door open and Snape murmuring quietly to whoever it is. Then more loudly.

“You can come out. He knows.”

It’s Dumbledore and he has his sad face on. Harry is instantly enraged.

“Professor.”

Dumbledore merely nods in return and they all sit back down. As if they’re going to have a polite chat not the tense stand-off they’re in the middle of.

Dumbledore looks at him and Harry wants to strangle the man before he even opens his mouth.

“Harry, my boy, I am so sorry about the way your relatives treated you.”

“Bull...shite.”

Dumbledore blinks at him. Then opens his mouth to spew more lies, Harry cuts him off.

“That is complete utter crap and you know it. You told me I _had_ to go back there. You knew they weren’t treating me like they should. You didn’t care. No. Shut up and listen old man. I was convinced I deserved it. I was ready to let them continue abusing me because I thought that that was no more than what I deserved. But no more. I don’t even care if you knew. If you were unaware that is just as bad. Neglect is also abuse. You neglected to check on me. Either you failed in your duty of care by knowing and doing nothing about the abuse or you failed in your duty of care by _not_ knowing about the abuse. I could have died. I, sometimes I _wanted_ to die. And you’ve no _idea_ of how close I came to murdering those fucking arseholes. So no, I won’t _hear_ it. You don’t get to come in here playing at being sad. If you truly regret it you’ll put in place measures to see that it doesn’t happen _again_. But you don’t care do you? You’re just upset that you no longer control me. I am not now, nor will I ever again be, your puppet. Find someone else old man. I’m done.” He’s panting by the end and his hands are being held by both Snape and Draco. He notices out of the corner of his eye that Snape’s openly holding his wand. He wonders if he should do the same.

They all stare at the old man challengingly. He sighs as if he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I am sorry, my boy. I do not expect you to forgive me. I will not ask for that. But I am sorry. I am glad you have found such fierce protectors. Good evening.”

They watch him leave and Snape slowly sighs.

“This does not mean we are safe. To openly defy him like that, Harry, not that I think you were wrong to do so, but it _is_ dangerous. We will have to be on guard at all times. I do not know what his next move might be.”

Harry and Draco both nod. Yeah. Dumbledore is one hell of a dangerous enemy to have.

~~~~~~

The next few days are tense. If he has to reply to another letter from Sirius he might just scream. He can’t believe how impossible the man is being. As if Snape adopted him for nefarious reasons. He’s starting to wonder if Snape’s grumblings about mad dogs don’t have some truth behind them.

~~~~~~

A few days after the confrontation Harry finds himself being asked to stay behind by Professor Moody.

“Yes, Professor?”

“What happened between you and Dumbledore, Potter?”

Harry knows the man is Dumbledore’s friend and he has a vague suspicion that he’s asking for that reason. Because Dumbledore is hoping to get more information on his state of mind so he knows how to manipulate him back into his control. The idea makes him furious. So he throws caution to the wind.

“Dumbledore is angry because I am no longer in his control.”

“And why is that?”

“Because he left me with abusive arseholes and then kept sending me back to them every year. Snape got custody of me so now he’s playing at being all sad that I was abused. He says he never knew, but seeing as he was my guardian and it was his duty to know...at any rate he’s on my shit list and I’m on his.”

Moody gives him a considering look.

“He’s a dangerous man to have as your enemy, Potter.”

That sounds like a threat. Harry snorts. “Well yeah, but so is Voldemort. But I’d rather die by Voldemort’s hands than live by Dumbledore’s. I’m not going to be his puppet anymore.”

“Was there anything else, Professor?”

Moody just grunts in response and hands him a note so he won’t get in trouble for being late. Harry walks out wondering what Dumbledore will think of _that_ exchange.

~~~~~~

Harry walks into the maze annoyed at the whole thing. He doesn’t care if he wins. He’s just hoping he survives this bloody task. He hates how worried Draco and Snape both are. He wants to rush through so they don’t have to worry as long but Snape made him promise to take his time and be careful. So he’s going to focus on staying alive and not worry about how long it’s taking. He briefly considers just sending up sparks and bowing out but...fuck it, he’s not sure they’d actually come get him anyway. They want him to compete so fucking much.

He walks quietly forward trying to take the path that will lead him straight to the center. He manages to get through all the various stupid obstacles until he’s standing before the cup. He reaches it just after Diggory does and watches the boy get attacked by an acromantula. He rescues him. Diggory tries to tell him to take the cup alone and he’s going to argue but then he remembers the suspicion that he was put in this tournament as an attempt on his life. He reaches his hand out. Hesitates.

“If I don’t come back, tell Draco I love him.”

He touches the goblet just as Diggory’s eyes widen. The portkey whisks him away.

~~~~~~

He touches down in a graveyard. He looks around warily. Waiting for an attack of some kind. He has his wand outstretched ready to defend himself. But no attack comes. Still bloody constant vigilance and all. He doesn’t lower his guard. He creeps slowly through the graveyard and finds a giant cauldron. Well that’s not suspicious. He glances inside. Just water. Huh.

He wanders for a bit and then he hears it. Footsteps. He whirls in that direction and stops. Moody?

“Potter, glad you could make it, I need a vial of your blood and then you can go back.”

He blinks at the man.

“What is this?”

“Sure you want to know, Potter?”

He nods decisively.

“A resurrection ritual. One vial of your blood, a little bit of work on my part, and the Dark Lord rises again.”

His eyes widen. But Moody hates...polyjuice. Who _is_ Moody even? Not that _that_ matters. The important thing is...

“Why are you telling me this?”

“You broke out of Dumbledore’s control. Told me yourself. I figure we don’t need to take it by force. Your new guardian is one of us, or he used to be, did he not tell you our ideals?”

He shakes his head. “We’ve been busy dealing with other things and I never thought to ask. What are they?”

“We want complete separation from the muggles. Some of us want them all dead. Cases like your own mostly. But mostly we just want to make ourselves safe from them. You grew up in their world, you know all about their weaponry don’t you? They ever find out we exist...our whole world will be wiped out. We just want safety. Please, Potter, just one little vial of blood and you can help us gain it.”

Harry doesn’t know if he’s telling the truth, but even if he isn’t it’s not like he has a chance in a duel against the man. “I have one request.”

Moody nods with a glint in his eye.

“I don’t know where Snape’s loyalty lies. He hates Dumbledore but that doesn’t mean he wants to continue serving your Lord. If you can promise me his safety I will gladly give you my blood.”

Before Moody can say a word there’s a reply from a voice hidden behind a nearby tombstone. It’s a quiet whispering voice. High and cold. Harry shivers at the sound.

“Harry Potter, you have my word I will not harm Severus Snape. I notice you did not ask for your own safety.”

“If you still want me dead I’ll not defend myself. I only want Snape and Draco to be safe. I would like to live, but...”

He shrugs.

There’s a laugh from behind the tombstone. And then.

“Take his blood Barty and send him home to his family. And, Harry, if you can convince Severus to come back to me I will consider myself in your debt. The man was one of my best, he would be invaluable.”

Harry stands patiently while Barty takes his blood. He’s told to touch the portkey to return to Hogwarts. He almost does when...

“Wait, what do I tell them? About where I’ve been and what happened?”

He looks to Barty who shrugs and smiles at him mischievously. “Tell them it malfunctioned. Took you to a field in the middle of nowhere. That it took you a bit to think of touching it again to try and return. Or...you could tell them the truth, but my Lord isn’t planning on making a splash, he’s going to operate from the shadows for a long time. So they’ll think you made it up or are mad. Your choice.”

He says this with such a ridiculous delivery that it makes Harry laugh.

“I like you Barty. Good luck.”

And then he touches the portkey and is whirled away. The last thing he hears as he is sucked through whatever space a portkey travels through is.

“I like you too, kid.”

~~~~~~

Back at Hogwarts he plays a bewildered and annoyed champion to perfection if he does say so himself. Of course he does tend to spend a lot of time in that state anyway, it rather comes naturally to him.

He spends some time reassuring everyone that he’s fine back at Gryffindor tower but then he tells them he wants to spend the rest of the evening with his guardian. Points out that Snape spent the evening terrified he wouldn’t be coming back alive. He heads down to the dungeons.

When he gets there he finds both Snape and Draco nursing drinks and he fetches his own. Snape gives him a look letting him know it won’t be a regular thing but just this once they all need it.

He sits down and explains what really happened. Snape is stunned and instantly begins rolling up his shirt sleeve. The mark is still dull and he looks confusedly at Harry.

“They never said when they’d be performing the ritual. I mean they had the giant cauldron set up in the middle of the graveyard so I imagine it’ll be tonight but it might not be for hours yet. They couldn’t know how long it would take me to get through the labyrinth.”

They sit in tense silence staring at the faded mark for a few minutes. Harry breaks the silence.

“He wants you back.”

Snape gives him a look.

“No, you don’t understand, I bargained for your freedom. You don’t _have_ to go back, he told me he would consider himself in my debt if I convinced you to return. He thinks very highly of your skills. Called you invaluable even.”

Snape looks shocked at that.

“You bargained with the Dark Lord?”

“Yeah, he needed my blood and I knew they could just take it but for some reason they wanted me to give it willingly, maybe it would make the ritual more powerful or something but anyway I said I had one request and that was your safety no matter what you chose to do. He agreed.”

“But you think I should go back anyway?”

“Barty told me that they really just want to protect us from the muggles. Do you no longer consider muggles a threat?”

“I no longer want them all dead, it’s a pipe dream. There are too many...”

“They don’t either. Most of them just want separation, a few want them all dead yeah, but not most. According to Barty anyway and the Dark Lord didn’t contradict him.”

“If I were to return to his service we would all likely end up in his service.”

“Yeah, I know, Draco, what do you think?”

“My father will remain faithful and so I will be expected to join also. I think it’s a good idea. We’ve made an enemy of Dumbledore. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”

Harry and Snape both nod thoughtfully conceding the point. They would potentially be safer in the Dark Lord’s camp.

They go back to staring pensively at the mark. It isn’t until the stroke of midnight that it burns and blackens once more. Standing out in stark contrast on Snape’s pale skin. He’s back. Harry surprises even himself with his sigh of relief at the sight.


	5. Chapter 5

The next few days Harry gets the feeling that somehow Dumbledore _knows_. He’s been careful never to look the man in the eye for months now so it wasn’t legilimency. He stays behind after his next defense lesson.

After everyone else leaves the classroom he turns to Barty.

“I think Dumbledore knows and he shouldn’t. I haven’t made eye contact with him.”

Barty turns to him and gives him a calculating look.

“Why’re you telling me this, kid?”

“Because, if he knows, not suspects, but knows, then who told him? Which of his marked subjects has turned traitor? Don’t you think he’d like to know he might have one among his ranks?”

Barty’s eyes widen.

“Is this you declaring for him?”

Harry nods and then shrugs. “I mean kind of, mostly this is me being concerned for him. He needs to know if he has a spy in his ranks. And you can tell him Snape is going to rejoin. He was reluctant but I convinced him with Draco’s help, so he’s welcome for that.”

He smirks at the man who smiles.

“I _do_ like you kid. I look forward to working with you. Now take this and scram. I’ll pass along the message.”

~~~~~~

Just before school lets out for the summer Harry is called up to the Headmaster’s office. He tells Snape who gets a look on his face like Christmas has come early. Harry looks at him quizzically for that but Snape ignores him. Merely drags him along to McGonagall’s office.

Harry soon finds himself sitting in the Headmaster’s office with Snape on one side and McGonagall on the other. He’d thought Snape insisted she come because she’s his head of house but nope. Now he knows why he looked so gleeful.

As soon as McGonagall realized Dumbledore was suggesting he stay with the Dursleys for the summer she blew up at him. Harry doesn’t know what half the words mean, he makes a note to learn Gaelic, but damn. She is tearing Dumbledore a new one. Dumbledore almost looks like he regrets this attempt, almost.

Dumbledore tries to open his mouth to speak again. But McGonagall cuts him off once again.

“No, Albus, I’ll not hear another word about it, he’s staying with Severus. You’ve already proven _you_ can’t be trusted with his care. I don’t know what gave you the impression your opinion was welcomed or desired. You are no longer his guardian, your opinion is irrelevant. We are done here.”

And they get up and leave. Harry thinks to himself that he’s going to have to revise his opinion of her character. He’d thought she didn’t care about her students after the incident in first year, but...well he’ll give her a second chance. He’d known there must be a reason Snape is friends with her.

They head back to her office.

“I cannot believe that man, Severus. How _dare_ he. After everything he did, or rather didn’t do. To ask the boy to go back there. Those people shouldn’t even be free to go back _to_. Why haven’t they been arrested?”

“Albus has prevented it so far. Lucius is doing what he can, but Albus still has too much influence.”

And there’s another round of curses. Harry grins at her and she trails off awkwardly. She gives him a look. He goes mock solemn and she laughs.

“Well, I’m glad to see the old fool hasn’t gotten to you, Mr. Potter. Don’t let him. He obviously isn’t worth it.”

“No ma’am. No, he doesn’t seem to be.”

“We still on for our Sunday chess games, Severus?”

“Of course, Minerva. Harry, will be busy with his boyfriend, I’m sure. I already have a bottle of your favorite waiting.”

“Good.”

Harry looks at them and he thinks the Dark Lord might just have been right. He may have found himself a family. Who’d have thought he’d come to consider McGonagall as a sort of aunt? Or Snape as a father?

~~~~~~

They end up spending the summer in Malfoy Manor for the most part. They return to Spinner’s End each night and every Sunday, they don’t want Minerva to suspect anything, but the majority of each day is spent in the manor. Harry spends most of his time with Draco, while Severus is cloistered away with Lucius, Barty, and the Dark Lord. Harry catches a glimpse of him on the second day and almost stumbles. He looks so normal, just a handsome middle aged man. Yet people are terrified to even speak his name. He wonders what he did to inspire such terror, simple murders couldn’t have done it, could they? He puts it out of his mind for now.

~~~~~~

About two weeks into the summer the Dark lord asks to speak to him and Harry finds himself alone with the man. He wonders a bit that Severus agreed to this, he’s so protective. He sits when the man gestures for him to.

“Severus has shown me a memory of your speaking Parseltongue. He told me of your second year. I am unhappy you killed my basilisk and destroyed my diary, but I understand it was in self defense. Still, the fact you are a Parselmouth intrigues me.”

The man gives him a speculative look.

“I can’t help but wonder how that came to be. To my knowledge it does not run in the Potter line.”

“Dumbledore said something about you transferring some of your powers to me that night.”

He watches the man’s eyes widen. Seemingly in panic. Harry wonders what could make a Dark Lord panic. The man breathes in sharply before speaking again.

“There is a spell I would like to cast on you. It is diagnostic in nature. It will not harm you, I swear it. May I?”

Harry nods. They’re allies now, he trusts the man more than most. He watches him cast the spell causing runes to appear momentarily in the air surrounding him and then the man leans back in his seat. He seems unsettled by whatever the spell showed him. Harry waits for him to speak again. It takes a few minutes.

“It would appear Dumbledore has acquired some very sensitive information. You are in considerable danger from him. He no doubt wants you dead.”

Harry doesn’t understand how he could know that from whatever the spell said. Maybe this is unrelated to it? Either way.

“You don’t want me going back.”

“I would prefer if you were never in the same room with him again, yes. You are now my ally and that means you are under my protection. To allow you to risk your life in such a way...I would be failing in that task.”

“Your followers must risk their lives for you all the time?”

“They do. While carrying out important tasks. Not while simply existing. I know you wish to return to Hogwarts. I understand that desire. I will think on it. Perhaps some kind of protective amulet will provide an adequate level of protection. That coupled with an emergency portkey...at any rate, that is a matter to be dealt with later. I did not ask you here merely to discuss your Parseltongue.”

He pauses for a moment giving him a look he can’t interpret before speaking again.

“I would like to know what role you would have in my organization.”

Harry just blinks for a moment.

“I don’t really know how I could contribute. I’m only fourteen, I didn’t even know the magical world existed till I was eleven.”

“You’ve already discovered the existence of a spy within my ranks, Barty did not notice Dumbledore’s change in behavior. You are in a unique position with the man, he most assuredly wants you dead, but is also likely hoping you’ll act as his champion and kill me. Perhaps you can simply continue on as you are for now, report any change you notice in the old fool’s behavior to either Severus or Barty, and stay out of the conflict otherwise.”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

The man shocks him a bit by giving him a small smile.

“I am glad to have you on my side Mr. Potter.”

~~~~~~

He wanders off to find Draco after that rather unsettling meeting. He finds him sitting on his bed trying, and failing, to distract himself with a book.

“Still alive.”

“Harry! I was half-convinced I’d never see you again. What did he want? Can you say?”

“He wanted to know how it is I’m a parselmouth, thinks Dumbledore wants me dead. The usual.”

“What?! Why?” Draco sounds just as horrified as Harry thought he’d be.

Harry shrugs. “He didn’t say. It doesn’t really matter anyway. I still want to go back to Hogwarts so he’s going to see about providing me with protection of some sort. I’ll be fine, Draco, promise.”

“You can’t possibly know that, Harry.”

Harry nods seriously. “But I will try.”

Draco snorts at that. “Considering how often you find yourself in life threatening situations...why did I have to fall in love with such a trouble magnet?”

He smacks him with a pillow, Draco retaliates, and soon they’re having a proper pillow fight. It lasts for about two minutes before Harry throws up his hands in surrender and slumps onto the bed. Draco flops down next to him and they lie there side by side.

“I love you too, you know.”

It’s the first time he’s said it him. He hadn’t wanted to say it and then regress back to feeling like he doesn’t deserve Draco. He hasn’t done so in a while...but that doesn’t mean much. With Dumbledore wanting him dead though...he can’t not say it any longer.

Draco’s eyes widen and he pulls him into a kiss. An absolutely filthy one. Next thing Harry knows he’s lying on his back with Draco straddling his waist. Draco pulls back a little and stares into his eyes. He combs his hand through Draco’s hair and then grabs him and pulls him back in for another kiss. He lets Draco go after a moment and Draco pulls back looking unsure.

“Harry, if you’d rather...”

He shuts Draco up by ghosting his hands along the erection pressing into his stomach. Draco gasps and he begins rubbing him through his trousers. He stills after a moment though.

“I want this Draco, but, we should probably lock the door.”

Draco looks sheepish and grabs his wand. He waves it toward the door and the lock clicks. Harry smiles and nudges Draco off him. Draco looks confused, he smiles reassuringly as he stands up. He begins stripping and Draco’s eyes widen.

“How far are you..?”

He kisses Draco gently.

“I thought we’d stick with handjobs for now, but that it would be more pleasant with less clothing. If you’re uncomfortable with any of this, please tell me, alright?”

Draco nods jerkily and begins stripping himself. It isn’t long before they’re back as they were before but with no fabric separating them. Draco summons a jar of lube from his bedside table.

“Did you brew this yourself?”

Draco nods while blushing. He wonders...

“Does it do anything special?”

“No, I could brew one that makes things feel more intense, but it would likely just mean that we’d peak quicker than we want.”

“Yeah. Just having you pressed up against me like this is almost too much. You are so sexy, Draco.”

“So are you, Harry.”

Harry has his doubts about that and he knows Draco can probably see that written on his face, but Draco doesn’t argue, he leans forward and kisses him gently instead. Then he pulls back and kneels up, he lines up their cocks and wraps his lubed hand around them. He groans and adds his own hand. They glide their combined hands up and down their cocks together, staring into each other’s eyes. It doesn’t take long until they’re both panting with pleasure. Draco removes his hand and dislodges his in the process, then, before Harry can ask why, he lays flat on top of him and ruts their hard cocks together.

“Fuck, that’s so good.”

Draco smiles and kisses him, while continuing to grind against him. Soon after, he climaxes, Draco pulls back and arches his back, climaxing as well.

“So what did you think, Harry?”

He runs his hands down Draco’s naked back. “I think we need to do this every day. Maybe multiple times a day.”

Draco huffs a laugh and then drags a finger through the mess on his stomach, he sucks it clean and Harry groans, his cock twitching.

“Fuck, Draco, give me a moment to recover before you do something like that.”

Draco laughs outright at that and then leans forward and licks a strip up his stomach. He groans again.

“You’re going to be the death of me.”

~~~~~~

About a week later Harry is just walking into the entrance hall with Severus so they can apparate home for the night, when two dementors float into the room from the opened front doors. He and Severus both pull their wands to drive them off, but before they can, the Dark Lord storms into the room with Lucius right behind him. Both looking apoplectic with fury. Harry can feel the power leaching off the Dark Lord from across the room and he thinks he might finally be able to see why he’s so terrifying to some.

He stalks up to the dementors and growls lowly at them so quietly Harry can’t make out the words. He’s shocked when they reply. He hadn’t realized they _could_ speak.

“Delores Umbridge.”

“Go, and from now you obey _my_ commands only.”

The dementors leave and the Dark Lord turns to them. “I am sorry that that happened. I should have retaken control of them before now.”

Harry watches stunned as he rakes his hand through his hair and sighs.

“They will no longer trouble you. However this Umbridge is another matter. She’s the undersecretary to the minister, and has recently put in for the defense position.”

Fuck. Of course she has.

“Barty isn’t going to be back?”

“He was only contracted for the one year, and also we believe Dumbledore knew he was an imposter. It wouldn’t be safe for him to.”

“Why would Dumbledore keep him on if he knew?” He catches a glimpse of Snape giving him an incredulous look, perhaps at his speaking so freely to the Dark Lord? He ignores him for now.

“The old man is not as mad as he pretends to be. He knew I would return eventually and no doubt wished for me to do so in a time which he would be expecting. Perhaps to test the trustworthiness and usefulness of his new spy. At any rate it is likely she would in fact be given the defense position if she were to live that long, in light of this attempt on your life...she won’t.”

“You can’t kill everyone who wants me dead!”

M 

The Dark Lord steps closer until he’s within reaching distance and then stops, his eyes boring into Harry’s own. He whispers quietly.

“Can’t I?”

He glares at this pathetic attempt at intimidation. “No.”

The Dark Lord smirks and continues in the snake tongue. “Oh, but indeed I can, and will. You have recently become mine and I protect my own, Harry. You will never be harmed again if it is in my power to prevent it.”

“You can’t possibly do that for all of your followers. Why me? Why does everyone insist on treating me as if I’m a...” He can’t bring himself to say the fucking word.

The Dark Lord stares into his eyes for a long moment. Then barks out. “Leave us.”


	6. Chapter 6

Harry is bewildered. Since he could easily say whatever it is in parseltongue why do they need privacy? As soon as they’re alone the Dark Lord erects a silencing ward. Then.

“What I am about to tell you will never leave your lips. I won’t threaten to kill you because I do not want you dead. If you were to speak of this again I would on the contrary ensure that you live to regret it. Understood?”

He nods slowly. The Dark Lord nods sharply back. Then conjures a pair of chairs. Harry sits. He has a feeling he might need to be sitting for this.

“Do you know what a horcrux is? More properly known as a soul anchor.“

He shakes his head.

“It acts, as the name suggests, as an anchor, tethering a person to life. It prevents a persons death. I have several of them, and since they are the key to my immortality, I guard them jealously. You are one.”

“What?! How is that? When would you have been able to? And _why_ would you..?”

“You are an _accidental_ horcrux. I meant to make one with your death, when things went...as they did, you somehow became one. It is why Dumbledore wants you dead. And why I will not allow you to be harmed. You are carrying a piece of my soul, Harry. You are _precious_.”

“I’m not an object. I’m a person. You can’t just dictate...”

The Dark Lord cuts off his rant by cupping his cheek. He stops startled and then is even more shocked when he feels his bottom lip being caressed.

“I am quite aware of the fact you are a person, Harry. I did not mean to make you think...I value you for more than the part of me that you hold. Barty showed me his memories of you before that night in the graveyard. That’s why I agreed to try asking for the blood rather than taking it. And after the graveyard I continued viewing his memories of you. I have also seen Severus’ memories of you. I called you into a meeting a week ago not just because you are also a parselmouth, not because you have helped my cause already and may prove to be invaluable in future...but because I have gotten to know you, Harry.”

He stares into the man’s eyes, thunderstruck. He can’t mean? The man chuckles quietly.

“Can’t I?”

He blinks. “Did you just read my mind? And what does that mean?”

“Yes. And this.” He finds himself being kissed. His mind goes blank for a moment before he jerks away.

“You can’t just do that! And I’m in a relationship! I’m not going to leave Draco.”

The Dark Lord smiles. “I wouldn’t want you to. He’s a pretty little thing and not unintelligent. If it bothers you I will ask before I kiss you again, Harry.”

“Then you won’t _be_ kissing me again. What do you..? How can you both want me, and want me to stay with Draco?”

“Harry, you do know it’s possible to be in a relationship with two people at once? Just, consider it. And speak to your lover about it tomorrow, it may be that he will be less opposed to the idea than you think.”

“Even if he is, I don’t...how can you expect me to want this? You may have gotten to know me through the memories you’ve seen but I don’t know you! And why are you telling me this now? You didn’t say a thing during our meeting a week ago.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything until you are older, you are still quite young, Harry. I only told you this now because you asked for my true motivations and I do not wish to lie to you.”

Well that’s _something_ at least. He shakes his head. It doesn’t matter. He’s with Draco, he loves Draco. This can’t happen. The Dark Lord focuses his gaze on him and it’s like being in the middle of a raging river rather than simply standing beside one. He finds himself overwhelmed by the mere idea that this man could want him. It’s madness. The man’s eyes bore into his own and then soften.

“You really can’t see your own worth, Harry...I care about you. I don’t expect you to understand that, but I need you to know it. I care for you. I want to get to know you better and I want you to get to know me. Talk to Draco and after, when you are ready, come to me, both of you.”

He can’t believe the situation he’s found himself in.

“And if Draco says no? If we don’t come to you, what will you do then?”

The man runs his hand through his hair again.

“I won’t give up, Harry. Not this easily at least. I will give you time and space, but eventually, I will attempt to get close to you again. I won’t force myself upon you, but since you do not yet know me I don’t feel as if you _can_ truly reject me.”

He nods reluctantly, he has a point. Fuck. How is this his life? He’s about to get up to leave when...

“Whether or not this is going to happen, it can’t possibly happen if I’m constantly thinking of you as _The Dark Lord_.”

He watches the man stiffen so much he immediately regrets bringing it up. Shit. He doesn’t know why he’s so weird about his name but now he feels bad for mentioning it. The man shakes his head and then forces himself to relax.

“You are correct. I loathe my birth name, and the name I gave myself in my youth...was a mistake. I don’t currently have a name...I do not know what to tell you. I cannot give you what I don’t have.”

Fuck. He’s knows what _that’s_ like. He closes his eyes and then nods decisively.

“It’s not something we need to change right away. You can think about it and hopefully find a name you can live with. If not...we’ll deal without one for now. Maybe we can call you my dear or something.”

He gives the man a grin and is shocked when he smiles back.

“Thank you. I know it isn’t an ideal situation...”

“Hey, I know what it’s like not to have a name. I get it.”

He receives a blank look and then the man’s face morphs into one of fury. Harry blinks at him.

“Your relatives will be dealt with as well, as soon as Severus is back at Hogwarts and will not be suspected of being involved.”

He groans. “You can’t just...please don’t kill them.” He can already see the man won’t listen. Fuck. “At least spare my cousin. You can’t blame him for following his parents example.”

The man sighs. “Fine.”

He gives him his best smile. “Thank you.”

He thinks he probably shouldn’t be so grateful for his agreeing not to murder someone when he’s planning to murder three other people. But he remembers that even Hermione wanted to murder the Dursleys when she realized how bad it had been. He’s just grateful they care about him enough to want to avenge his past hurts.

~~~~~~

That night back at Spinner’s End he sits down on the couch beside Snape. They simply sit for a long moment.

“He wants me.”

Snape’s eyes widen, then narrow.

“And Draco?”

He shrugs. “He wants me to speak with Draco about it. He acts like he expects Draco will be willing to share me, but he may want a relationship between the three of us. If Draco doesn’t agree, he’s not going to give up, he’ll just wait and try to win us over slowly, I guess.”

“How do you feel about this?”

“I don’t know. I’m still getting used to the idea that I might be worth something. To have _him_ want me..? I can’t wrap my head around it. He says he _cares_ about me.”

“You are an extraordinary individual, Harry, it is difficult _not_ to care about you. I know I have said this many times before, but I will keep saying it until you come to see it for the truth it is. You are not a freak.”

He nods slowly. He still doesn’t quite believe that, but now he feels as if he might get there eventually.

“Did he give you a name to call him by? I can’t imagine this working with you thinking of him as _him_ or the Dark Lord.”

He shakes his head. “He said he loathes his birth name and doesn’t like the name Voldemort anymore. He said he doesn’t have a name. He’s going to think about it.”

Snape nods and then very slowly says. “I cannot say how he would react if you were to use it. I don’t know that I should even mention...but his birth name...is Tom. Tom Riddle. It may be that _you_ can make him accept it where no one else can. Just, be very careful if you decide to try.”

“Yeah, I learned it from the diary. I don’t want to call him by a name he hates, that he doesn’t feel is right for him. I’ll just wait for now, hopefully he can find a name for himself. It’s not a pleasant sensation not having a name.”

“I can’t imagine it would be.”

~~~~~~

The next day he walks into Draco’s room and Draco smiles at the sight of him. He grimaces back.

“What’s wrong?”

He grimaces even more before shaking his head and pulling Draco into an embrace. He pulls back after a long moment.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Of course, Harry. I love you too. Now explain why you feel the need to remind me.”

He closes his eyes. Then focuses on Draco more intensely than ever before.

“I _love_ you. It’s important that you understand that, because I don’t want you to take this the wrong way...our Lord wants me. He wants me as a lover and possibly you as well, he wasn’t very clear on that. But he wanted me to tell you, to see if you’d be willing to...share me or something. I couldn’t _not_ mention it but I don’t expect you to agree.”

Draco blinks at him before snorting and then laughing outright. He stifles it quickly though.

“Damn Harry, everything happens to you doesn’t it? And you still think you aren’t special.” Draco leans in and kisses him sweetly. “I have no idea what I’m even agreeing to, but, well, he isn’t exactly hard on the eyes, is he? He’s powerful and intelligent, and I can’t blame him for wanting you...if you don’t hate the idea then why not try?”

“You, you want to?! But why would you, I thought..?” He’s upset. He doesn’t know what about this bothers him so much but he just assumed Draco would reject this out of hand.

“Hey, hey, I love you, Harry. But you’re my lover not my possession. If you want to see other people, then I want that too. I’m not going to fly into a jealous rage over this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you, you idiot.”

He nods. Trying to calm down. That makes sense in a way. But...

“Harry, if it was the other way around, if it was me he wanted and I wanted him back would it bother you? Would you think I didn’t love you just because I might also love him?”

He shrugs. “Probably.”

Draco looks thoughtful for a moment.

“You understand that I _do_ love other people. I love my parents, I love my friends, I even love my owl. None of that detracts from how I feel about you. It doesn’t matter really. I don’t know why I’m even arguing about this. If you don’t feel comfortable with the idea then we’ll tell him no.”

He blinks. He’d thought...

“You truly mean that?”

“Of course, Harry. I love you. No matter how significant or insignificant it was, if you wanted me to do something I would likely do it. I love you, I want you to be happy, and anything I can do to make you happy, I will. Besides it’s not like I care about him already. I just, don’t hate the idea and if you wanted to try...I wouldn’t have even suggested it but I got the impression you _do_ want this.”

He shakes his head vehemently, then hesitates. Maybe, maybe he does at that. And if Draco isn’t going to leave him for their Lord, if he’s only doing this to make him happy...

“I might want to try actually, but I don’t know if this is a good idea. He’s the Dark Lord. How is this supposed to work?”

“We’ll start by getting to know him and go from there, yeah?”

“Yeah, I guess. You’re sure you don’t mind, Draco?”

“No Harry, I don’t mind. Just think of the possibilities, a threesome every night...”

He hits him with a pillow. Draco laughs.


End file.
